


On That Swing Set

by CaithyCat



Series: They Don't Know About Us: TyRus Request Fics [3]
Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 09:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15482958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaithyCat/pseuds/CaithyCat
Summary: Cyrus is done with seeing "Jandi" flaunt their love so he goes to the swing sets to calm down. Who else joins him and listens to his woes but TJ?





	On That Swing Set

The chains holding the swing creaked with each kick of his legs. He moved in a gentle rhythm, one that he was used to. Although he had a taste of the exhilarating feeling of swinging higher, he still wasn’t comfortable attempting it on his own. Visions of flying off the swing and landing on his face was still a fear of his.

Nonetheless, Cyrus felt his anxiety calm with each swing. His heart still felt heavy but it was manageable. Such was the healing power of swings.

He had spent an entire afternoon at the Spoon watching Jonah and Andi make goo-goo eyes at each other. Although, normally, he would probably go “aww”, Cyrus had come to the point where he could no longer ignore the stab in his heart each time Jonah looked at Andi like she was the moon and stars combined. Sometimes, he wondered if Andi forgot that he had feelings for Jonah too.

Anyway, when Buffy decided she had enough of “JanDi” and left to go home, Cyrus had followed but he didn’t want to go home yet. His feet took him to the swings and he had been there, swinging in various speed intervals in the last hour.

“Hey, Underdog.”

Digging his heels into the ground to pause his movement, Cyrus flashed the familiar newcomer a smile.

“Not-so-scary basketball guy,” he greeted, simply.

TJ chuckled as he settled on the swing beside Cyrus. “Why is my nickname so long?” he asked.

Cyrus shrugged and began to swing again. “It suits you.”

TJ seemed to accept that with a nod and began to swing, lightly.  “So, what are you doing here all alone?”

“Swinging my insecurities away,” Cyrus answered before his own words dawned on him.

It was too late. TJ had stopped swinging and turned to him with concern. “You wanna talk? I’ll listen.”

Cyrus slowed his swinging, setting a gentle pace as he stared at the ground, silent. TJ didn’t force him to talk, simply waiting for Cyrus to talk first. He appreciated that since he wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it.

But, TJ was a good friend. He would listen to him, right? Cyrus knew he could trust TJ. He had been nothing but a supportive friend to him all these months.   
The jock always listened to him ramble about one thing or another all the time with no complaints. He would bring him chocolate chocolate chip muffins when he knew Cyrus was down. And, sometimes, when Andi and Jonah were off doing their thing and Buffy was unavailable, he would let him Cyrus hang out at the Gym with the kids while he worked.

TJ had always been understanding of Cyrus’ “stuff”.

“I… I have a secret…” he began, slowly. “And… I don’t want you to think of me, differently.”

He snuck a glance at TJ. The jock flashed him a gentle smile. “I won’t think differently of you, Underdog. I promise.”

Cyrus swallowed the lump in his throat as his anxiety began to build up again, but he willed himself to try and calm down. He needed to at least say the words. It just occurred to him that he never really said them out loud before, not even to Buffy or Andi.

Cyrus swallowed again before blurting it out.

“I’m gay.”

And just like that, it felt like a weight off his shoulders, a thorn removed from his side. He could breathe.

All these months, he had been drowning in the overwhelming feelings of finding out that he wasn’t straight, that he had a crush on his best friend's boyfriend, that he was gay.

And now, some of that weight was gone. It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Beside him, TJ had gone silent, his face unreadable as he stared at Cyrus.

The feelings of anxiety bubbled in his stomach again. But, then, TJ smiled.

“I don’t think of you differently,” he stated. “There is nothing wrong with you, Cyrus.”

He echoed Cyrus’ own words from so long ago. He remembered them.

Cyrus’ heart pooled with warmth and his anxiety slowly dissipated. TJ didn’t think differently of him. He accepted Cyrus. Anxious, accident-prone, gay Cyrus.

“Thank you, TJ,” he said, gratefully. “It means a lot to hear you say that.”

“Anytime, Underdog.”

TJ then looked at the ground, suddenly serious. He seemed to be contemplating something.

“Well, I have a secret too. Do you want to hear it?”

Cyrus’ eyes widened in surprise, but nonetheless, nodded. TJ was trusting him with another secret and he wouldn’t be a very good friend if he wouldn’t even hear him out. Besides, he was a little curious.

TJ scrunched his brows before taking a deep breath and turning his head to Cyrus. Their eyes met.

“I’m gay, too.”

Letting out an involuntary gasp, Cyrus could only stare back in shock at TJ.

TJ. Jock. Basketball team captain. One of the most masculine guys he knew. Was gay.

Cyrus was well-aware how stereotypically gay he tended to act so TJ... To know that TJ was just like him… it was definitely a surprise.

“I think… I’ve known for a while…” TJ continued, looking away from Cyrus now and looking off in the distance. “That was probably why I acted like such a jerk for a while and why I… was in denial about my dyscalculia.” He let out a sarcastic chuckle. “I was already… not normal… and a learning disability on top of that? I know that’s not an excuse for acting like a jerk, but… I was… so confused about everything. I felt… different.”

“You’re not different, TJ,” Cyrus said, as comfortingly as he could as he echoed Buffy’s words. “You’re still you. And… I’m still me. We’re still us.”

TJ turned to him with a small smile. “And I thought I was supposed to comfort you. But here you are, again, helping me, as always. You’re really something special, Underdog.”

Blushing, Cyrus laughed. “We help each other. I guess that’s what makes us great friends.”

TJ’s smile widened and he nodded. “Are you feeling better?”

“A little. It’s nice to know that someone else is… the same as me.”

“Me too. I’m glad it’s you.” He cleared his throat. “So was that what you were worried about? That I wouldn’t accept you?”

Another lump formed in Cyrus’ throat. “Partly.”

He began to swing a little, not quite as high but just enough for the movement to soothe his nerves. He had already told TJ his biggest secret. He might as well go all out.

“You see… there’s this guy I like,” he began, eyes on the ground in front of him. “I’ve liked him for a while now. He’s so handsome and he has the cutest smile with the cutest dimples. Whenever I see him, I can’t help but feel all happy, like the world is just… bathed in sunlight. Oh god, that sounded so cheesy.” Cyrus let out a chuckle before sighing. “But… he doesn’t like me back.”

“How… How do you know? Maybe if you tell him, he might feel the same way.”

Cyrus released a humorless laugh, turning to the jock. TJ had stopped swinging and was watching him, carefully.

Cyrus could feel his lip trembling. “I like Jonah… but Jonah is with Andi.”

A tear fell from his eye. Surprised, he lifted a hand to wipe it away. He didn’t even realize that he had started crying. And just like that, more tears followed.

“S-Sorry,” he apologized to TJ as he wiped them away. “I… I don’t know why I’m suddenly crying. I mean… I knew from the very beginning that he would never like me back. That he was too focused on Andi to even notice me… But… It still hurts…”

A creak from the other swing reached his ears and through his tears, he saw TJ’s silhouette in front of him. He looked up just as the other boy crouched in front of him, so he was now looking down at TJ.

The jock reached up and wiped the rest of the tears away from Cyrus’ cheek, offering him a gentle smile.

“It’s okay,” he said, softly. “You’re allowed to cry.”

Sniffling, Cyrus willed himself to stop crying. Only because he felt really embarrassed crying over a boy in front of someone else.

“S-Sorry,” he said again.

TJ shook his head. “Don’t be, okay?” He wiped away the last of Cyrus’ tears before resting his hands on his knees. “You’re allowed to be upset if the guy you like wants to be with someone else. It’s painful for now, but… you’ll heal. I promise.”

Forcing a smile, Cyrus nodded before tilting his head to the side. “You sound like you’re talking from experience.”

At that, TJ laughed, softly as he stood up. “Yeah… I guess, in a way, I am.”

He made his way back to his swing and began to move, kicking his legs lightly in the air.

“You like someone?” Cyrus couldn’t help but ask.

TJ’s face appeared to fall and Cyrus realized how prying he sounded and was about to apologize when the jock stopped swinging. He turned to Cyrus and nodded, solemnly.

“I do,” he admitted.

“Does he know? Or have you told him?”

TJ shook his head. “No. And… I don’t think it’s the right time to tell him about my feelings either. He’s… not ready for me yet.”

Confused, Cyrus furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean by that?”

The other boy sighed. “He… likes this other guy. And he’s still really hung up on him and… I don’t think I have a chance. At least, not at the moment.”

“I’m sorry, TJ.” Cyrus reached out and patted the older’s boys knee. “If he can’t see how great of a guy you are, it’s his loss.”

Placing his hand on top of Cyrus’ on his knee, TJ managed a small smile. “It’s okay.” He smiled. “Maybe someday, I’ll be able to tell him. And I hope, by that time, he’ll give me a chance.”

“You’re a really great guy, TJ, and if he can’t see that and give you a chance, then it’s his loss.”

Laughing, he squeezed Cyrus’ and. “And Jonah is blind for not seeing an amazing guy like you. It’s also his loss.”

Standing up and walking in front of Cyrus again, the jock held out his hand.

“You want to get some ice cream? My treat.”

TJ had always said that he wasn’t the best when it came to expressing his feelings, but he was getting better at them. He had managed to calm Cyrus down, comforted him by telling him his own secret. They had shared their woes about love with each other and because of that, Cyrus believed that their bond had just strengthened even more, right there on the swing set where they had their first real conversation.

He couldn’t imagine his life without TJ in it anymore. And for that, he was grateful.

Grinning, Cyrus tilted his head in an affirmative. “It’s a date,” he piped, taking TJ’s hand.

For a second there, he could have sworn TJ’s lip twitched and his cheeks turn pink. But, before he could take a closer inspection, TJ was already pulling him away, presumably to lead him to the ice cream parlor and Cyrus had no choice but to follow.

Not once did TJ let go of his hand the entire way. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is just one of the many "coming out" situations I've been thinking of for TyRus. If I have the time, I might write others. 
> 
> Visit me on thinkingabouttyrus.tumblr.com!


End file.
